The plant of DG Fuels, a US company engaged in renewable hydrogen and low emissions aviation fuel, is expected to be operational in 2029, with an annual production of 450 million l of SAF derived from residual biomass.
The licencing and process design package phase is subject to Notice to Proceed and is necessary for the implementation of the gasification and gas treatment units, able to process 1 million tpy of corn stover, representing the first step for the SAF production.
The project meets the requirements set by the US Department of Energy (DOE)’s Clean Fuels & Products Shot initiative, which aims to decarbonise the aviation sector by industrialising SAF production. Additionally, SAF derived from biomass or waste resources is eligible under the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to reduce airlines’ carbon offsetting requirements.
Fabio Fritelli, NEXTCHEM Managing Director, commented: “This project builds on the successful completion of the engineering phase for DG Fuels’ SAF plant in Louisiana, announced in December 2023."